New, Common Core-Focused Reading Textbooks Available for Public Review

Monday, September 17, 2012 | 09:48 am

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Education’s proposed reading textbooks for kindergarten through eighth grade are on display for public review at sites across the state.

As a part of Tennessee’s transition to the Common Core State Standards, the new books better align with focus standards in reading and language arts for each grade level.

According to Common Core guidelines, the materials include literary and informational content designed to allow students to go in-depth into each text by re-reading, discussing and writing about what they’ve read.

The department invites feedback from citizens before the books are ultimately reviewed by a textbook committee and voted on by the State Board of Education later this fall. If adopted, students could begin using the new books in 2013-14.

Morgan Branch, director of textbook services, encouraged parents, family members, educators and the general public to visit the textbook sites and to participate in the review process.

“It is very important for the public to have access to the textbooks under consideration," Branch said. “Our goal is to provide a wide variety of materials that enrich and support the curriculum and to address the varied interests, abilities and learning styles of students.”

The proposed textbooks are on display in 10 sites, and interested citizens should contact the director of the collection site in their area. Input forms, available at each site, are due by Sept. 30. Sites and directors are listed below.

A state review committee of public school teachers will assist the Tennessee Textbook Commission members with their evaluation of the textbooks. The committee will hold a workshop for textbook publishers to respond to the reviews of their books and answer questions. In October, textbook commission members will vote on the new editions to recommend to the state board for the 2013 official list of textbooks.

Board members will decide whether to add the books to its list, and local school systems can then adopt textbooks from the list for a six-year period.

Public comments regarding the proposed textbooks should be sent by Sept. 30 to:

Morgan Branch, Director of Textbook Services

Tennessee Department of Education

Andrew Johnson Tower – 5th Floor

710 James Robertson Pkwy.

Nashville, TN 37243-0379

Citizens with questions about the process may also call Morgan Branch at (615) 253-3160.

More information about Common Core and the selection of Common Core-focused reading textbooks can be found at TNcore.org.